Pitch Takeoff Mode

[82ndUSMC 0]

Greetings,

 

If one chooses to land the md-11 manual, after roll out the flight director displays [ v2 thrust | Heading  ]

 

I cannot find a way to reset the autopilot to Pitch Takeoff mode. I understand that it will do this automatically provided I allow it to do a CatIII or II landing…. But even on the ground, if one clicks the heading button and the IAS button, the flight director displays

[ thrust | heading ]  in favor of [ Pitch | Takeoff ]  -  that all makes sense and that’s fine – but what’s the secret password to get the autopilot into pitch takeoff mode?  The manual says to turn the flight directors on and off and this is supposed to reset it. I have tried many combinations and I wouldn’t be posting this if I wasn’t at the end of ideas.

 

So once again, my question is: How do I instruct the autopilot to go into “Pitch Takeoff” mode?

 

I sure hope someone has the magick for this… :wacko:

 

Thanks,

 

Ray

[kevinh 409]

In my experience you won't get the takeoff mode until you complete all the FMC data entry, including the takeoff page. Do you get V speed prompts?

 

Cycling the FD switches certainly works in a Boeing but I've never needed to do it in the MD11. One thing you could try is realigning the IRS. That should reset a lot of logic.

[kevinh 409]

I watched out for this after I landed my MD11 last night. A visual landing, no autoflight used. The FD switched to Pitch/Takeoff without any input from me as I taxied to the gate.

 

The FMC data entry I referred to in my post above is necessary to get the prompts to set takeoff configuration, but clearly not to get the FD in takeoff mode.

[82ndUSMC 0]

Thanks for the reply. I was able to reset the pitch mode by re-aligning the IRS, as you spoke of..... and if I reprogram the FMC it seems to place it back into Pitch|Takeoff........ If I was to fly a manual takeoff, I still can't seem to find the "magick" procedure for Pitch|Takeoff -  LOL

Thanks a ton for your feed back. If I'm reading your reply correctly, we are experiencing the same result. If I'm not interpreting what you're saying please correct me.

 

Ray

[kevinh 409]

Please to be able to help, Ray.  A manual takeoff shouldn't be very much different.  The preflight should be the same and so the FMA should be reading Pitch/Takeoff too.

[3-2-1-Now 126]

It seems your startup situation has the FMS in a bad state.

 

After landing, pressing INIT on the FMS will take you to page 1 which will result in an FMS soft reset. All data will be cleared from the FMS and the modes will reset, ready for the next flight. If there is anything you want from the FMS before you do this, do NOT go to the INIT page.

 

If the FMS is in a bad state before takeoff, the only other fast option I know of is to re-enter the departure/destination airports which will also result in an FMS soft reset. You might want to also try reloading the flight plan (assuming it is saved).

 

It might be worth you flying the aircraft around the pattern, landing, pressing INIT after vacating the runway so the FMS resets, then shutting down to the state you want, and saving the panel state from there. It should be good subsequently.

 

Best regards,

Robin.